Flashlight



Nov. 12, 1940. G. C. BARBEE FLASHLIGHT Filed Aug. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l mm k ww WNRNW I I I A TTORNEYST Nov. 12, 1940. G. c. BARBEE FLASHLIGHT Filed Aug. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNL'YS.

Patented Nov. 12, 1940 umran STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to portable flashlight construction, the primary object of the invention being to provide an electric flashlight wherein the battery and electric lamp are self-con- 5 tained, and wherein a. multiplicity of lamps are supported within the body portion of the flashlight.

An important object of the invention is to provide a flashlight having a plurality of electric 10 lamps mounted therein, the electric lamps being supported in such a manner that when a lamp burns out or is otherwise rendered defective, the lamp support may be rotated to move an operative lamp into position in circuit with the battery of the flashlight, eliminating the necessity of dismantling the flashlight to renew a defective lamp.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, 20 the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be 25 made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a flashlight constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the body portion of the flashlight, illustrating the lamp support as retracted, so that a new operative lampmay be moved into operative position. 9 s

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the battery chamber of the flashlight.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1. 40 Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the lamp compartment of the flashlight, and illustrating the lamp support as shifted and an operative 45 lamp moved in circuit with the battery of the device.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the disk which provides the support for the lamps or bulbs of the flashlight.

50 Figure 8 is a fragmental elevational view ilacter 5 is cylindrical in formation, one end thereof being enlarged as at 6 providing a lamp compartment.

.The outer end of the enlarged portion 6 is formed with threads to receive the securing ring 5 1 that clamps the lens 8 and reflector 9 in position.

The opposite end of the body portion 5 is threaded and closed by means of the threaded closure l0, which is provided with an opening 10 through which the stem ll extends, the stem H being provided With a finger piece I2, by means of which the stem H may be rotated.

The stem H is connected with one end of the tubular battery casing i3, the tubular battery casing l3 being of a length appreciably less than the body portion 5, so that movement of the battery casing I3 longitudinally of the body portion 5, will be permitted.

One end of the tubular battery casing i3 is closed by means of the hinged closure 14, which is provided with a hollow extension l5 that is square in cross section.

Secured within the body portion 5 at a point adjacent to the tubular battery casing I3 is an inwardly extended annular flange l6 which provides a support for the supporting disk [1, to which the bulb supporting arms are connected. This disk l! is connected with the disk I8, by means of the bolts l9 that also extend through insulating disks 2!) which are shown as contact- .ing opposite sides of the annular flange I6.

zinsulated therefrom, is a rod 24 which engages the innermost battery, the outer end of the rod contacting with the lamp or bulb supported within the reflector, the lamp or bulb in the present showing being indicated by the-reference character 25.

Secured to the disk l1, and extending therefrom, are supporting rods 26 on which the lamp supporting arms 21 are mounted, the lamp supporting arms 21 having enlarged ends 28 formed. with bores to accommodate the supporting rods 26. The inner ends of the lamp supporting arms 21 are threaded and provide lamp sockets, for the lamps 25 that are shown as positioned therein.

The reference character 29 designates pairs of arms, between which the lamp supporting arms are held, the arms 29 extending from the wide portion 22 of the insulating member 2|. This insulating member 2| is formed with a square opening, through which the hollow extension l5 extends, so that rotary movement of the battery casing and hollow extension, will result in a relative rotary movement of the insulating member 2 I, to move the pairs of arms 29.

Coiled springs indicated at 3B are mounted on the supporting rods 26 and bear against the lamp supporting arms '21, normally urging the lamp supporting arms towards the disk I1.

Secured to the inner surface of the reflector 9, is an insulated plate 3i formed with notches to receive the lamp supporting arms 21 to hold the lamp supporting arms in their proper positions.

Under normal conditions, the tubular battery casing I3 is held in its operative position, or in a position as shown by Figure 1 of the drawings, by means of the coiled spring 32, which is shown as positioned between one end of the battery casing and threaded closure.

- l The reference character 33 designates the contact arm of the flashlight, which is operated by means of the button 34, in the usual and well known manner. It,might be further stated, that the battery casing i3 is insulated from the body portion 5, by means of the insulating sleeve 35, shown as held between the battery casing and body portion.

In the use of the device, when a bulb or lamp becomes defective, it is only necessary to pull the finger piece 12 and stem connectedtherewith, to the end that the battery casing, together with the extension l5 forming a part thereof, will be retracted to the position as shown by Figure 2 of the drawings. When the tubular battery casing has moved to the position as shown by Figure 2, it is obvious that the coiled springs 30 will move the lamp supporting arms to the positions as shown by Figure 2. The finger piece l2 may now be rotated to cause the arms 29 to move an operative lamp before the opening of the reflector,

and in the path of travel of the rod 24, to supply electric current to the lamp or bulb, when the finger piece I2 is released against the action of the coiled spring 32.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, the flashlight may be operated to move a perfect bulb or electric lamp into operative position with the batteries and reflector of the flashlight.

In view of the foregoing detail disclosure, a further disclosure as to the operation of the device is believed to be unnecessary.

What is claimed is:

- 1. A flashlight comprising a body portion orvided into a lamp compartment and a battery compartment, a reflector having a lamp opening, closing the lamp compartment, pivoted arms having lamp sockets mounted within the lamp compartment, lamps in the lamp sockets, a movable battery support mounted within the battery compartment, a rotary member mounted within the lamp compartment and operated by rotary movement of the battery support, and arms extending from the movable member and engaging the pivoted arms, whereby the pivoted arms are operated and the lamps are moved into operative positions within the lamp opening of the reflector.

2. A flashlight comprising a body portion divided into a lamp compartment and a battery compartment, pivoted lamp supporting arms within the lamp compartment, lamps supported by said arms, a battery casing containing batteries, mounted within the battery compartment, an extension on the battery casing, a contact member disposed within the extension and in circuit with the battery within the battery compartment, said contact member adapted to engage said lamps completing circuits to said lamps, and

a rotary member operated by the battery casing for moving the lamp supporting arms and lamps supported thereby into and out of operation.

3. A flashlight comprising a body portion divided into a lamp compartment and a battery compartment, a reflector in the lamp compartment, pivoted lamp supporting arms having lamp sockets at their free ends, mounted within the lamp compartment, a battery supporting casing mounted within the battery compartment, means for moving the battery supporting casing and battery mounted therein into circuit with a lamp within the lamp compartment, and means including arms engaging the lamp supporting arms, for moving the lamps supported by said arms into operative relation with the batteries of the battery casing and reflector.

4. A flashlight comprising a body portion, a partition within the body portion dividing the body portion into a lamp compartment and a battery compartment, supporting rods mounted on the partition, lamp supporting arms mounted on the supporting rods for movement longitudinally of the supporting rods, said lamp supporting arms extending laterally from the supporting rods, lamp sockets at the free ends of the lamp supporting arms, lamps in the lamp sockets, coiled springs on the supporting rods for. normally urging the lamp supporting arms towards the partition,moving the lamps to their inactive positions, means for moving the lamp supporting arms and lamps against the action of the coiled springs, whereby the lamps are moved to their active positions, means for normally holding the lamp supporting arms against rotary movement, and batteries within the battery compartment for supplying electric energy to the lamps.

GEORGE c. BARBEE. 

